Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-09
ON PLEASURE BENT.
A Herald Man Indulges in
A Vacation.
HIS INITIAL EXPERIENCES
His Slumbers Disturbed By a Fe,
line VisitOr-HOw q Battle
Was Fought and Lost.

Free from the cares of copy" for q
least week to come, a HERALD ma
sat in one of the sumptuous parlor car
which the Southern Pacific Compan
has added to the bound trains
and gazed upon the panorama o
wealth and fertility through which h
was travelling. Thousands of acres
green with the branching vine
whirled by, and e yer and anon al
embryo town came in view, with it
new buildings and hordes of bus,
workers with plane, hammer ant
saw, raising on the face of nature
tenements for the reception of man
Then the train passed into the con
fines of the San Fernando noun
tains, and the vista became
wilder, grander and more impressive
as craiging hill and delving dale
formed the perspective in every direc
ton. Through the darkness of the
famous tunnel and out into the sun.
light of the world beyond with snorl
and puff went the mighty engine
dragging it's freight of human life be-
hind and on to the table land where
nestles the little village of Alpine,
from whence with gentle dip was en-.
tered the spacious Antelope Valley
and the .ry of Lancaster reused the
dreamer from his world of meditation.
Gazing curiously at his unwonted sur
roundings, the scribe stepped on terra
firma and realized that his journey
was over. A hungry-looking
dog proceeded to interview him
and while he was warding
off the animals pleasantries he heard
his name mentioned, and the scribe
was directed to the house, where he
was awaited. A hearty meal and a
smoke, and then the night came on }"
good night was said, the lights were
extinguished and all was wrapped in
gloom. "If Toppy comes in through
the window, put her OUT" the hostess
had said, referring to a favorite cat
which the reporter had noticed mean
dering about the house. Just as the
weary scribe was about to sink into
the arms of Morpheus a fiendish
"Miaowl" resounded on the midnight
silence. "Great Scott! there's the
cat !" said the unhappy wight, as he
sat up in bed and end ,avored
to locate the sound. "Miaow" reson-
ated again from another corner of the
room, and this time the reporter made
up his mind that he would be dis
turbed no longer. "Pussy, pussy,
come on puss," calculated he-a pur-
ring sound was the answer and in a
second the unfortunate feline was
seized by the scruff of the neck and,
armed with his prey, the captor
started for the door. This he speedily
opened, and then,
There came a fearful screechiug sound,
The cat, oh, where was she?
Squirming in pain upon the ground
In frightful mis- cree.
Sanguine that he would now be able
to enjoy the rest of the weary, the
scribe hied him back to his pallet and
once more sought solace in a blissful
forgetfulness Of all thugs earthly.
Just as he was in imagination
wandering in the Garden of Eden he
was recalled to things mundane by a
long-repeated "Miaow" and he knew
that his unwelcome visitor had re-
turned. The same tactics as before
were pursued, the same expressions
of endearment and once more poor
Toppy was prisoner in the hands of
one whom suffering had now turned
into a fiend. Holding his prey care
fully at arms length the merciless
one preambled about the domain,
seeking for something with which to
end his troubles, as far as the cat was
concerned, when suddenly he came
across a large tank covered by lid
and which was apparently filled with
natures nectar. The thought was
father to the action, the lid was re-
moved, and with loud splash poor
Toppy struck the immersing fluid,
the lid was replaced and the scribe
retraced his footsteps to his couch
amid the wailing of the unfortunate
whose entreaties appealed
in vain to his stony heart. THANK
God, can sleep now," was the ejacu-
lation, as the would-be slumberer
his weary limbs upon his
downy couch, and soon he was
in oblivion, and the cold,
white rays of the moon stole in and
illumined his upturned face as he
dreamt of happy childhood,,s days
when, like a young bear, he had all
his troubles before him. He thought
that he was back homie again, he was
sitting in the village church, watching
the rustics file in through the quaint
old UNCOVERED door, the good pastor
was ascending the altar steps, when
suddenly "mi-i-aow ~ filled the
air with fiendish music,
and he awoke with start and
quickened pulse as he thought that he
was haunted by the spectre of his I'M
fortunate victim. cit must have been
murmured he wiping
the cold bead-drops Of perspiration
from off his brow, and singing softly
to himself "Now 1 lay me down to
rest" he was proceeding to forget his
fears when "mi-aow" once more made
him spring into a perpendicular posi-
ton. "Miaow, Miaow, Miaow" came
from all quarters of the room and
then a happy thought struck the
one "why not shut the win
dow" Alas! a visit to the
blind revealed the fact that there
was no casing there 80 driv-
en- to desperation the doomed
man decided to dress himself and pass
the night in weary watchfulness. At
tired in all his splendor he stole quiet
ly from the room, closely followed by
peared to have achieved a great at
tachment for him, and seating himself
upon the porch, passed the remainder
of the night in solemn contemplation
of the immutability of his attendants
affections and when the morning sun
rose in all his glory in the eastern
heavens he saw that unfortunate
HERALD reporter seated with drowsy
eyes upon the fitful porch, while some
twel We feet away sat his attendant
auyit q v,,irth hfullv CON, hivo hos r,a1od